Army of God - 9 September 2024

I think that I have been a pacifist for as long as I remember, subscribed, as I was, to the school that believes that war and violence are always wrong. I still do not believe in war, but that mankind has at various junctures been forced to fight for what was right is in no doubt.

In fact, the history of mankind is scarred and punctuated with war. Aristotle, in his wisdom, may have been on to something when he said, “We make war that we may live in peace.” Georges Clemenceau hit it on the head when he said, “I don’t know whether war is an interlude during peace, or peace an interlude during war.”

The enemy of our souls has already been established and true peace can only come once he has been vanquished. Let us reflect on some of these wars of epic, biblical proportions and how God’s army rose up to the occasion. Because, let us be clear, the God we serve has an army busy with warfare. The Scriptures record warfare both of a physical and spiritual nature. Let’s allow the Bible to speak.

Elisha’s servant got to behold a sight we could only dream of as recorded in 2 King 6:15-18: “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, ‘Strike this army with blindness.’ So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.”

Joshua certainly met the commander of the army of God, understood that he was God and bowed down before him. See the account in Joshua 5:13-15: “Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ The commander of the LORD’S army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.”

The God of the universe is mighty in power. He has angels fighting on our behalf. Daniel the prophet, no doubt, received immense comfort upon hearing about the role the archangel Michael would play in the future. “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered.” (Daniel 12:1)

Moreover, on the night Jesus was arrested, this is what he said: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53)

In order to fulfil the plan of redemption, Jesus chose not to use the angels to get him out of here in a blaze of glory. What restraint he exhibited by choosing to go to the cross instead. But make no mistake: the risen King’s time of glory is certainly coming.

Of course, it would be remiss of me not to mention the army at the end of time. “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Revelation 19:11-14)

Prayer: Father God, thank you for opening our eyes to the spiritual battle that rages around us. And comfortingly, you have the means, the fire power, to deal with anything that the enemy throws at us. Amen